Heat exchanger for temperature control over cylindrical battery

Abstract

To increase the energy density of an on-vehicle battery module constituted by electrically connecting a plurality of cylindrical batteries, and also to decrease the number of components for cost reduction.SOLUTION: A heat exchanger 20 for temperature control over cylindrical batteries C comprises: a connection plate 21 which has a current-collecting electric surface, electrically connecting the plurality of cylindrical batteries C, formed on one thickness-directional surface, and is made of conductive material; and a flow passage formation member 27 which forms a flow passage for heat transport liquid with the other thickness-directional surface of the connection plate 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a temperature-regulating heat exchanger that regulates the temperature of a cylindrical battery. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, an onboard battery module may be installed in a vehicle equipped with a traction motor, such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle. The onboard battery module disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a battery holder that holds multiple unit cells, positive and negative bus bars that electrically connect the multiple unit cells, and an insulating protective case. The unit cells are cylindrical batteries arranged with their axes extending vertically, with the upper portion being a positive electrode and the lower portion being a negative electrode. Therefore, the positive bus bar is stacked on top of the unit cells, and the negative bus bar is stacked on bottom of the unit cells. The positive and negative bus bars are formed by integrating the same number of conductive plates as the number of battery groups consisting of multiple unit cells with a resin material. The battery holder is also formed from a highly heat-conductive material, such as aluminum, to evenly distribute heat generated by the unit cells and reduce temperature variations among the unit cells. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-63862 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the on-board battery module of Patent Document 1, in addition to the positive and negative bus bars having conductive plates electrically connected to the cells, a battery holder made of a highly heat-conductive material such as aluminum is provided to dissipate heat generated by the cells. As a result, the positive bus bar, cells, negative bus bar, and battery holder are stacked vertically, resulting in an increase in the size of the on-board battery module and a decrease in energy density. Furthermore, the inclusion of the positive and negative bus bars and battery holders increases the number of parts, which in turn increases the number of assembly steps, ultimately resulting in an increase in the cost of the on-board battery module of Patent Document 1.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to increase the energy density of an on-board battery module formed by electrically connecting multiple cylindrical batteries, while reducing the number of parts and thereby lowering costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above object, one aspect of the present disclosure can be a temperature-controlling heat exchanger for controlling the temperature of cylindrical batteries. The temperature-controlling heat exchanger for cylindrical batteries includes a connection plate made of a conductive material, a current-collecting conductive surface formed on one surface in a thickness direction to electrically connect multiple cylindrical batteries, and a flow path-forming member that forms a flow path for a heat-transfer fluid between the connection plate and the other surface in the thickness direction.

[0007] According to this configuration, the connection plate is positioned so that the current-collecting conductive surface of the connection plate contacts the electrodes of the multiple cylindrical batteries, electrically connecting the electrodes of the multiple cylindrical batteries. A heat-transfer fluid flow path is formed by the surface of the connection plate opposite the current-collecting conductive surface and the flow path-forming member, allowing the heat-transfer fluid flowing through the flow path to exchange heat with the cylindrical batteries via the connection plate. If the temperature of the heat-transfer fluid is lower than that of the cylindrical batteries, the cylindrical batteries are cooled. On the other hand, if the temperature of the heat-transfer fluid is higher than that of the cylindrical batteries, the cylindrical batteries are heated. Since the temperature of the multiple cylindrical batteries can be adjusted using the connection plate that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries, the number of components in the on-board battery module can be reduced. Furthermore, since the heat-transfer fluid flows through the flow path while in contact with the connection plate, heat from the heat-transfer fluid is easily transferred to the connection plate. Furthermore, since the multiple cylindrical batteries contact the current-collecting conductive surface of the connection plate, heat from the multiple cylindrical batteries is also easily transferred to the connection plate. This increases the efficiency of temperature control of multiple cylindrical batteries using the heat-carrying fluid. In addition, because the temperature of multiple cylindrical batteries can be controlled using a common connecting plate, the structure of the heat exchanger and the structure of the on-board battery module can be simplified.

[0008] The connection plates may include a first connection plate connected to a cylindrical battery included in a first battery group consisting of a plurality of the cylindrical batteries, and a second connection plate connected to a cylindrical battery included in a second battery group consisting of a plurality of the cylindrical batteries. In this case, the flow path forming member may be made of an insulating material that holds the first connection plate and the second connection plate spaced apart from each other in a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. The flow path forming member may also be made of an insulating material that holds the first connection plate and the second connection plate spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction. This allows multiple connection plates to be held by a common flow path forming member, further reducing the number of parts. Furthermore, contact between the first connection plate and the second connection plate can be avoided.

[0009] The inner surface of the connection plate in the flow passage may be subjected to an anti-rust treatment, thereby making it possible to suppress corrosion of the connection plate due to the heat carrier fluid.

[0010] The flow path forming member may be fastened to the first battery group and the second battery group, thereby ensuring contact between the cylindrical batteries and the connection plate and maintaining electrical continuity while the flow path forming member and the cylindrical batteries are integrated together.

[0011] The flow path forming member may be provided with an inlet hole for allowing the heat carrier fluid to flow into the flow path, and an outlet hole for allowing the heat carrier fluid in the flow path to flow out.

[0012] The flow path forming member may have a plate portion disposed at a distance from the other surface of the connecting plate in the thickness direction and extending along the surface of the connecting plate, and an outer protrusion portion protruding from a peripheral edge of the plate portion toward the connecting plate and extending in the circumferential direction of the plate portion. This allows the outer protrusion portion to function as a rib, thereby increasing the strength and rigidity of the flow path forming member. In this case, the connecting plate can be held by the protruding tip of the outer protrusion portion.

[0013] The plate portion may have an inner protrusion portion that protrudes from inside the outer protrusion portion toward the connecting plate and extends in the planar direction. This allows the inner protrusion portion to function as a rib, thereby increasing the strength and rigidity of the flow path forming member. In this case, the connecting plate can be held by the protruding tip of the inner protrusion portion.

[0014] The heat exchanger may further include a battery holder having a retaining hole into which one axial end of the cylindrical battery is inserted and held, and an exhaust section for exhausting gas discharged from the axial end of the cylindrical battery in the event of an abnormality in the cylindrical battery. This allows high-temperature, high-pressure gas to be discharged from the axial end of the cylindrical battery in the event of an abnormality in the cylindrical battery, and the gas can be exhausted from the exhaust section of the battery holder. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] As described above, a flow path for the heat-carrying fluid can be formed by the connection plate that electrically connects multiple cylindrical batteries and the flow path forming member, so that an on-board battery module made up of multiple electrically connected cylindrical batteries can be made compact, increasing energy density, and reducing the number of parts to achieve cost reduction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an in-vehicle battery module according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle-mounted battery module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the in-vehicle battery module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a right side view of the in-vehicle battery module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of the in-vehicle battery module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the battery holder. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of an in-vehicle battery module according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a front view of an in-vehicle battery module according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view of the in-vehicle battery module according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a plan view of an in-vehicle battery module according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. [Figure 14]FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI in FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of an in-vehicle battery module according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a front view of an in-vehicle battery module according to the third embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a side view of an in-vehicle battery module according to the third embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX-XX in FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a plan view of an in-vehicle battery module according to the third embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXII-XXII in FIG. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXIII-XXIII in FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXIV-XXIV in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0018] (Embodiment 1) 1 is a perspective view of an in-vehicle battery module 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This in-vehicle battery module 1 is mounted on a vehicle equipped with a traction motor (not shown), such as a hybrid vehicle (including a plug-in hybrid) or an electric vehicle, and is a drive battery unit for supplying power to the traction motor. The location where the in-vehicle battery module 1 is mounted is not particularly limited, but examples include below a floor panel (not shown), below a seat (not shown), or inside a trunk (not shown).

[0019] In the description of this embodiment, the directions of the automotive battery module 1 are defined as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. That is, the front and rear sides of the automotive battery module 1 are defined, and the right side when viewed from the front of the automotive battery module 1 is defined as the right side, and the left side when viewed from the front of the automotive battery module 1 is defined as the left side. The front side of the automotive battery module 1 can also be referred to as the front side, and the rear side of the automotive battery module 1 can also be referred to as the rear side. These direction definitions are provided for convenience in describing the embodiment and do not limit the orientation of the automotive battery module 1 during use or manufacture. The automotive battery module 1 can also be mounted on a vehicle with the front side facing the right, left, or rear of the vehicle. Multiple automotive battery modules 1 can also be mounted on a vehicle.

[0020] In this embodiment, the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 is designed so that the left-right dimension is shorter than the depth dimension, but the left-right dimension and the depth dimension may be the same, or the left-right dimension may be longer than the depth dimension. In other words, the external shape of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 is not limited to the shape shown in the illustration, and can be designed as desired, taking into account battery capacity and the installation space in the vehicle.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 includes first to ninth battery groups 11-19, an upper temperature-regulating heat exchanger 20, and a lower temperature-regulating heat exchanger 30. Each of the first to ninth battery groups 11-19 is composed of multiple cylindrical batteries C (only the third battery group 13 is shown). The first to ninth battery groups 11-19 each include the same number of cylindrical batteries C, and the cylindrical batteries C are arranged so that there are five cylindrical batteries C aligned along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 and two cylindrical batteries C aligned along the left and right directions of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1. Therefore, the longitudinal direction of the first to ninth battery groups 11-19 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1, and the lateral direction of the first to ninth battery groups 11-19 coincides with the lateral direction of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1. The number and arrangement pattern of the cylindrical batteries C are not particularly limited, and the cylindrical batteries C may be arranged in a single row in the longitudinal or lateral direction of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1.

[0022] In this embodiment, the cylindrical batteries C are oriented with their axes extending vertically, with one end and the other end in the axial direction serving as a positive electrode and the other as a negative electrode. When viewed from each of the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19, the positive and negative directions of the cylindrical batteries C are the same. That is, for example, the positive electrodes of all the cylindrical batteries C in the first battery group 11 are located at the upper end or the lower end. Similarly, the positive electrodes of all the cylindrical batteries C in the second battery group 12 are the same. Each cylindrical battery C may be a secondary battery, such as a lithium-ion battery. Each cylindrical battery C is generally called a battery cell. All the cylindrical batteries C have the same shape and size.

[0023] The first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 are arranged in three columns and three rows in a plan view of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1. That is, the first to third battery groups 11 to 13 are arranged on the front side of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 and are lined up in the left-right direction. The fourth to sixth battery groups 14 to 16 are arranged in the middle of the depth direction of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 and are lined up in the left-right direction. The seventh to ninth battery groups 17 to 19 are arranged on the back side of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 and are lined up in the left-right direction. When viewed from the front, the first battery group 11, the fourth battery group 14, and the seventh battery group 17 are lined up in the right-most direction in the depth direction, the second battery group 12, the fifth battery group 15, and the eighth battery group 18 are lined up in the left-right middle direction in the depth direction, and the third battery group 13, the sixth battery group 16, and the ninth battery group 19 are lined up in the left-most direction in the depth direction. The upper ends of all the cylindrical batteries C included in the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 are positioned on approximately the same plane. The lower ends of all the cylindrical batteries C included in the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 are also positioned on approximately the same plane.

[0024] 1 and 2, the first to third battery groups 11 to 13 are shown by phantom lines. However, in reality, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the cylindrical batteries C are aligned in the left-right and depth directions between the upper temperature-regulating heat exchanger 20 and the lower temperature-regulating heat exchanger 30. Therefore, the electrode portions of the cylindrical batteries C, which are prone to heating during charging and discharging, can be cooled by the upper temperature-regulating heat exchanger 20 and the lower temperature-regulating heat exchanger 30. Furthermore, when the cylindrical batteries C are at an extremely low temperature that is not suitable for charging and discharging, the upper temperature-regulating heat exchanger 20 and the lower temperature-regulating heat exchanger 30 can also heat the cylindrical batteries C. The temperature of the cylindrical batteries C can also be regulated while the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 is being charged by an external power source.

[0025] The upper temperature control heat exchanger 20 and the lower temperature control heat exchanger 30 are used to adjust the temperatures (temperature regulation) of the cylindrical batteries C included in the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19, and are cylindrical battery temperature control heat exchangers of the present invention. In this embodiment, since there are a large number of battery groups, both the upper temperature control heat exchanger 20 and the lower temperature control heat exchanger 30 are provided, but if there are a small number of battery groups, such as two, only one of the upper temperature control heat exchanger 20 and the lower temperature control heat exchanger 30 may be provided.

[0026] The upper temperature adjustment heat exchanger 20 includes first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 and an upper flow path forming member 27. The first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 are flat plate-like members made of a conductive material with low electrical resistance, such as copper. The first to third upper connecting plates 21 to 23 are elongated in the depth direction and are arranged spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 can be shaped, for example, rectangular or square.

[0027] Furthermore, the upper fourth connecting plate 24 is elongated in the depth direction, but is approximately half the length of the upper first to third connecting plates 21 to 23. The upper fourth connecting plates 24 are disposed at intervals from one another in the left-right direction, and are disposed at intervals from the upper first to third connecting plates 21 to 23 to the rear side. Therefore, the upper fourth connecting plates 24 are not electrically connected to one another.

[0028] The specific positions and shapes of the first to fifth upper connection plates 21 to 24, 26 are described below. The first upper connection plate 21 is disposed above the first battery group 11 and the fourth battery group 14, and is continuous from the front end of the first battery group 11 to the rear end of the fourth battery group 14. As shown in Fig. 6, a first current collecting conductive surface 21a is formed on the lower surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the first upper connection plate 21, which electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the first battery group 11 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the fourth battery group 14.

[0029] The first current collecting conductive surface 21a is a flat contact surface that comes into contact with the electrodes of the cylindrical batteries C. When the first current collecting conductive surface 21a comes into contact with the electrodes of the cylindrical batteries C, it is electrically connected to the cylindrical batteries C. Since the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the first battery group 11 and the fourth battery group 14 can be connected by a common upper first connecting plate 21, the structure of the upper temperature adjustment heat exchanger 20 and the structure of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 are simplified. The same applies to the upper second to fifth connecting plates 22 to 24, 26.

[0030] The upper second connection plate 22 is disposed above the second battery group 12 and the fifth battery group 15, and is continuous from the front end of the second battery group 12 to the rear end of the fifth battery group 15. A second current collecting conductive surface 22a that electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the second battery group 12 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the fifth battery group 15 is formed on the lower surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the upper second connection plate 22, similar to the first current collecting conductive surface 21a.

[0031] The upper third connection plate 23 is disposed above the third battery group 13 and the sixth battery group 16, and is continuous from the front end of the third battery group 13 to the rear end of the sixth battery group 16. A third current collecting conductive surface 23a that electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the third battery group 13 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the sixth battery group 16 is formed on the lower surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the upper third connection plate 23, similar to the first current collecting conductive surface 21a.

[0032] 3, the fourth upper connection plate 24 is disposed above the seventh battery group 17 and the eighth battery group 18, and is continuous from the front end to the rear end of the seventh battery group 17 and the eighth battery group 18. A current collecting conductive surface (not shown) that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the seventh battery group 17 and the eighth battery group 18 is formed on the lower surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the fourth upper connection plate 24, similar to the first current collecting conductive surface 21a.

[0033] The fifth upper connection plate 26 is disposed on the ninth battery group 19 and is continuous from the front end to the rear end of the ninth battery group 19. A current collecting conductive surface (not shown) that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the ninth battery group 19 is formed on the lower surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the fifth upper connection plate 26, similar to the first current collecting conductive surface 21a.

[0034] Because the upper ends of all of the cylindrical batteries C included in the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 are positioned on approximately the same plane, the current collecting conductive surfaces 21a, 22a, 23a of the first to fifth upper connection plates 21 to 24, 26 are also positioned on approximately the same plane. The shapes and sizes of the first to fifth upper connection plates 21 to 24, 26 can be changed depending on the shapes and sizes of the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 in a plan view.

[0035] 6, the upper flow path forming member 27 is a member for forming a flow path R1 for the heat carrier fluid between itself and the upper surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. By making the upper flow path forming member 27 out of resin, the degree of freedom in designing the shape is increased, and the cross-sectional shape and size of the flow path R1 can be easily designed, thereby further improving the temperature control efficiency.

[0036] The upper flow path forming member 27 holds the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 at intervals from one another in a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. The planar direction is the left-right and depth directions, and by holding the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 at intervals from one another in the planar direction, it is possible to prevent the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 from becoming electrically conductive with one another.

[0037] The inner surfaces of the flow path R1 of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 are subjected to a rust-proofing treatment to prevent corrosion due to the heat carrier fluid. The type of rust-proofing treatment is not particularly limited, and any rust-proofing treatment may be used. A rust-proofing treatment that can effectively prevent corrosion due to the heat carrier fluid is preferred. The rust-proofing treatment may be performed as needed, and may be omitted if there is no risk of corrosion. The rust-proofing treatment may be performed only on the surfaces of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 that face the flow path R1, or the rust-proofing treatment may be performed on the entire top surfaces of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26.

[0038] The upper flow path forming member 27 is disposed at a distance in the thickness direction from the upper surfaces of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26, and has an upper plate portion 27a extending along the surface direction of the connecting plates 21 to 24, 26, and outer protrusion portions 27b protruding from the peripheral edge of the upper plate portion 27a towards the connecting plates 21 to 24, 26. The upper plate portion 27a is in the shape of a flat plate substantially parallel to the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26, and a flow path R1 is formed between the lower surface of the upper plate portion 27a and the upper surfaces of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26.

[0039] The outer protrusion 27b has an annular shape that extends continuously in the circumferential direction of the upper plate 27a and is integrally molded with the upper plate 27a. Because the outer protrusion 27b extends in the depth direction and the left-right direction, it acts as a rib, improving the strength and rigidity of the upper flow-path forming member 27.

[0040] The flow path R1 is located inside the outer protrusion 27b. The portions of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 that correspond to the outer periphery of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 are held by the protruding tips of the outer protrusion 27b. For example, after molding the upper flow path forming member 27, portions of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 are embedded in the protruding tips of the outer protrusion 27b, thereby allowing the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 to be held by the outer protrusion 27b. The upper flow path forming member 27 can be molded, for example, by injection molding, but is not limited to this. The first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 and the outer protrusion 27b are joined together in a liquid-tight manner. If necessary, a sealant such as a packing that suppresses leakage of the heat carrier fluid can be provided between the upper flow path forming member 27 and the upper first to fifth connecting plates 21 to 24, 26. The sealant can be, for example, a rubber material. When a sealant is provided, grooves or the like for holding the sealant can be formed in the outer protrusion portion 27b. The upper first to fifth connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 and the outer protrusion portion 27b may be bonded together or fastened together with a fastening member.

[0041] Inner protrusions 27c are formed in the upper plate 27a in a portion surrounded by the outer protrusions 27b (inside the outer protrusions 27b), protruding toward the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 and extending in the planar direction. The inner protrusions 27c extend in the depth direction and left-right direction along the edges of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26, forming lattice-like ribs on the underside of the upper plate 27a. In other words, the inner protrusions 27c function as ribs, improving the strength and rigidity of the upper flow-path forming member 27. Furthermore, the ends of the inner protrusions 27c are continuous with the outer protrusions 27b, and the inner protrusions 27c and the outer protrusions 27b are integrated. Depending on the shape of the inner protrusions 27c, the shape, size, position, etc. of the flow path R1 can be freely set.

[0042] The edges of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 are also held by the protruding tips of the inner protrusions 27c. The holding structure of the inner protrusions 27c of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 can be the same as the holding structure of the outer protrusions 27b of the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26. A sealant can be provided between the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26 and the inner protrusions 27c.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 4, the upper flow path forming member 27 is provided with an inlet hole 27d for allowing the heat carrier fluid to flow into the flow path R1 and an outlet hole 27e for allowing the heat carrier fluid in the flow path R1 to flow out. The inlet hole 27d and the outlet hole 27e are slit-shaped and elongated in the depth direction. This allows a wide opening area to be secured while reducing the vertical dimension. The inlet hole 27d and the outlet hole 27e may also be circular.

[0044] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, flow paths R1 are formed in three locations: above the first to third battery groups 11 to 13, above the fourth to sixth battery groups 14 to 16, and above the seventh to ninth battery groups 17 to 19. The three flow paths R1 are separated by inner protrusions 27c extending in the left-right direction so as not to communicate with each other. The number of flow paths R1 is not limited to three, and may be two or less, or four or more.

[0045] In this embodiment, three flow paths R1 are formed in the upper temperature adjustment heat exchanger 20, and therefore three inflow holes 27d are formed to correspond to the three flow paths R1, respectively, and three outflow holes 27e are also formed to correspond to the three flow paths R1. The inflow holes 27d and the outflow holes 27e are formed as through holes that penetrate the outer protrusion portion 27b in the inward and outward directions.

[0046] An inlet pipe (not shown) for introducing the heat carrier fluid is connected to the inlet hole 27d. A pump (not shown) for sending the heat carrier fluid is provided upstream of the inlet pipe. Operating the pump causes the heat carrier fluid to flow from the inlet hole 27d into each flow path R1. On the other hand, an outlet pipe (not shown) for discharging the heat carrier fluid is connected to the outlet hole 27e. The outlet pipe is connected to a heat exchanger (not shown) for cooling or heating the heat carrier fluid. The heat exchanger is connected to the suction side of the pump. This circuit configuration allows the heat carrier fluid to circulate.

[0047] 2, the lower temperature adjustment heat exchanger 30 includes first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35 and a lower flow path forming member 37. The first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35 are flat plate-like members made of a conductive material with low electrical resistance, similar to the first to fifth upper connecting plates 21 to 24, 26. The third to fifth lower connecting plates 33 to 35 are elongated in the depth direction and are disposed at intervals from one another in the left-right direction.

[0048] The lower first connecting plate 31 is elongated in the depth direction, but is approximately half the length of the lower third to fifth connecting plates 33 to 35. The lower second connecting plate 32 is nearly square in shape. The lower first connecting plate 31 and the lower second connecting plate 32 are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, and are also spaced apart from each other on the front side of the lower third to fifth connecting plates 33 to 35. Therefore, the lower first to fifth connecting plates 31 to 35 are not electrically connected to each other.

[0049] The specific positions and shapes of the lower first to fifth connection plates 31 to 35 are described below. The lower third connection plate 33 is disposed below the fourth battery group 14 and the seventh battery group 17, and is continuous from the front end of the fourth battery group 14 to the rear end of the seventh battery group 17. As shown in FIG. 6, a current collecting conductive surface 33a is formed on the upper surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the lower third connection plate 33, which electrically connects the cylindrical batteries C included in the fourth battery group 14 and the cylindrical batteries C included in the seventh battery group 17. The current collecting conductive surface 33a is a contact surface that comes into contact with the cylindrical batteries C, and is electrically connected by contacting the cylindrical batteries C.

[0050] The fourth lower connection plate 34 is disposed below the fifth battery group 15 and the eighth battery group 18, and is continuous from the front end of the fifth battery group 15 to the rear end of the eighth battery group 18. A current collecting conductive surface 34a that electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the fifth battery group 15 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the eighth battery group 18 is formed on the upper surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the fourth lower connection plate 34, similar to the current collecting conductive surface 33a.

[0051] The fifth lower connection plate 35 is disposed below the sixth battery group 16 and the ninth battery group 19, and is continuous from the front end of the sixth battery group 16 to the rear end of the ninth battery group 19. A current collecting conductive surface 35a that electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the sixth battery group 16 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the ninth battery group 19 is formed on the upper surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the fifth lower connection plate 35, similar to the current collecting conductive surface 33a.

[0052] The lower first connection plate 31 is disposed below the first battery group 11 and is continuous from the front end to the rear end of the first battery group 11. On the upper surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the lower first connection plate 31, a current collecting conductive surface 31a (shown in FIG. 2) that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the first battery group 11 is formed, similar to the current collecting conductive surface 33a.

[0053] The lower second connection plate 32 is disposed above the second battery group 12 and the third battery group 13, and is continuous from the second battery group 12 to the third battery group 13. On the upper surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the lower second connection plate 32, a current collecting conductive surface 32a (shown in FIG. 2) that electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the second battery group 12 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the third battery group 13 is formed, similar to the current collecting conductive surface 33a.

[0054] Because the lower ends of all of the cylindrical batteries C included in the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 are positioned on approximately the same plane, the current collecting conductive surfaces 31a, 32a, 33a, 34a, and 35a of the first to fifth lower connection plates 31 to 35 are also positioned on approximately the same plane. The shapes and sizes of the first to fifth lower connection plates 31 to 35 can be changed depending on the shapes and sizes of the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 in a plan view.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 6, the lower flow path forming member 37 is a member for forming a flow path R2 for the heat-carrying fluid between itself and the lower surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. The lower flow path forming member 37 holds the first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35 spaced apart from each other in a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. This prevents the first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35 from becoming electrically conductive to each other. The inner surfaces of the flow path R2 in the first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35 are treated with an anti-rust treatment, similar to the upper connecting plates 21 to 24 and 26.

[0056] The lower flow path forming member 37 is disposed at a distance in the thickness direction from the lower surfaces of the first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35, and has a lower plate portion 37a extending along the surface direction of the connecting plates 31 to 35, and outer protrusion portions 37b protruding from the peripheral edge of the lower plate portion 37a toward the connecting plates 31 to 35. The lower plate portion 37a is in the shape of a flat plate substantially parallel to the first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35, and a flow path R2 is formed between the upper surface of the lower plate portion 37a and the lower surfaces of the first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35.

[0057] The outer protrusions 37b extend continuously in the circumferential direction of the lower plate 37a and are integrally molded with the lower plate 37a. Because the outer protrusions 37b extend in the depth direction and the left-right direction, they act as ribs, improving the strength and rigidity of the lower flow-path forming member 37.

[0058] The flow path R2 is located inside the outer protrusion 37b. The portions of the lower first to fifth connecting plates 31 to 35 that correspond to the outer periphery of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 are held by the protruding tips of the outer protrusions 37b, similar to the upper flow path forming member 27. The sealing structure can also be configured similarly to the upper flow path forming member 27.

[0059] The lower plate portion 37a has inner protrusions 37c that protrude from the inside of the outer protrusions 37b toward the first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35 and extend in the planar direction. The inner protrusions 37c extend in the depth direction and left-right direction along the edges of the first to fifth lower connecting plates 31 to 35, thereby forming lattice-like ribs on the lower surface of the lower plate portion 37a. In other words, the inner protrusions 37c act as ribs, improving the strength and rigidity of the lower flow-path forming member 37.

[0060] The edges of the lower first to fifth connecting plates 31 to 35 are also held by the protruding tips of the inner protrusions 37c. The holding structure of the lower first to fifth connecting plates 31 to 35 by the inner protrusions 37c can be the same as the holding structure of the lower first to fifth connecting plates 31 to 35 by the outer protrusions 37b.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 4, the lower flow path forming member 37 is provided with an inlet hole 37d through which the heat carrier fluid flows into the flow path R2 and an outlet hole 37e through which the heat carrier fluid flows out of the flow path R2. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the flow paths R2 are formed in three locations: below the first to third battery groups 11 to 13, below the fourth to sixth battery groups 14 to 16, and below the seventh to ninth battery groups 17 to 19. The three flow paths R2 are separated by inner ridges 37c extending in the left-right direction so as not to communicate with each other. The number of flow paths R2 is not limited to three, and may be two or less, or four or more.

[0062] In this embodiment, three flow paths R2 are formed in the lower temperature adjustment heat exchanger 30, and therefore three inflow holes 37d are formed corresponding to the three flow paths R2, respectively, and three outflow holes 37e are also formed corresponding to the three flow paths R2. The inflow holes 37d and the outflow holes 37e are formed as through-holes that penetrate the outer protrusion portion 37b in an inward and outward direction. As with the upper side, an inflow pipe (not shown) for introducing the heat carrier fluid is connected to the inflow hole 37d, and an outflow pipe (not shown) for discharging the heat carrier fluid is connected to the outflow hole 37e.

[0063] The provision of the upper temperature-regulating heat exchanger 20 and the lower temperature-regulating heat exchanger 30 enables cooling or heating of the cylindrical batteries C of the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19, thereby regulating the temperature of the cylindrical batteries C. That is, if the temperature of the heat-carrying fluid is lower than that of the cylindrical batteries C, the cylindrical batteries C are cooled. Conversely, if the temperature of the heat-carrying fluid is higher than that of the cylindrical batteries C, the cylindrical batteries C are heated. Furthermore, the temperature of the cylindrical batteries C can be regulated using the connection plates 21 to 24, 26, and 31 to 35 that electrically connect the cylindrical batteries C, thereby reducing the number of components. Furthermore, because the cylindrical batteries C come into contact with the connection plates 21 to 24, 26, and 31 to 35, heat from the cylindrical batteries C is easily transferred to the connection plates 21 to 24, 26, and 31 to 35. This improves the efficiency of temperature regulation of the cylindrical batteries C using the heat-carrying fluid.

[0064] The upper flow path forming member 27, the lower flow path forming member 37, and the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 are vertically fastened together using fastening members such as bolts, nuts, and screws. Although not shown, for example, the upper flow path forming member 27 and the lower flow path forming member 37 may have through holes that penetrate the upper flow path forming member 27 and the lower flow path forming member 37 in the vertical direction. By inserting bolts into the through holes and then screwing nuts onto the bolts to fasten them, the upper flow path forming member 27, the lower flow path forming member 37, and the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 can be fastened together. The fastening may be performed at one or more locations. Alternatively, the upper flow path forming member 27, the lower flow path forming member 37, and the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19 may be fastened together using, for example, a band or the like.

[0065] (battery holder) 7 is a diagram showing a battery holder 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The battery holder 40 is made of, for example, a plate made of a resin material, and has multiple holding holes 41 into which one axial end of a cylindrical battery C (shown by imaginary lines) is inserted and held, and a discharge section 42 that discharges gas released from one end in the event of an abnormality in the cylindrical battery C. The holding holes 41 are circular in shape to match the outer shape of the cylindrical battery C, but are not limited to a circular shape and may have any shape that can hold the cylindrical battery C in a predetermined position.

[0066] The exhaust section 42 is composed of a communication passage that connects adjacent retaining holes 41. That is, a communication passage is formed from the inner surface of one retaining hole 41 to the inner surface of another adjacent retaining hole 41, and the communication passage located on the outer side of the battery holder 40 extends all the way to the outer surface of that battery holder 40. In the unlikely event of an abnormality occurring in a cylindrical battery C, high-temperature, high-pressure gas will be released from a valve (not shown) located at one end of the cylindrical battery C in the axial direction. The gas released from one end of the cylindrical battery C is released to the outside of the vehicle-mounted battery module 1 through the exhaust section 42. The battery holder 40 may be provided as needed or may be omitted. The battery holder 40 can also be applied to the second and third embodiments described below.

[0067] (Embodiment 2) 8 to 16 show an in-vehicle battery module 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this second embodiment, cylindrical batteries C are arranged so that their axes extend in the depth direction of the in-vehicle battery module 1. In addition, first to third battery groups 11 to 13, fourth to sixth battery groups 14 to 16, and seventh to ninth battery groups 17 to 19 are arranged side by side in the depth direction of the in-vehicle battery module 1. Below, the same parts as in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and their explanations are omitted, and only parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described in detail.

[0068] The vehicle-mounted battery module 1 of embodiment 2 includes a front-side temperature control heat exchanger 110, a first intermediate temperature control heat exchanger 120, a second intermediate temperature control heat exchanger 130, and a rear-side temperature control heat exchanger 140. The basic structures of the front-side temperature control heat exchanger 110, the first intermediate temperature control heat exchanger 120, the second intermediate temperature control heat exchanger 130, and the rear-side temperature control heat exchanger 140 are almost the same as the temperature control heat exchangers 20 and 30 of embodiment 1. The number of heat exchangers may be set according to the number of battery groups arranged in the depth direction.

[0069] The front-side temperature adjustment heat exchanger 110 includes a right-side connecting plate 111, a left-side connecting plate 112, and a flow path forming member 113. The right-side connecting plate 111 is disposed on the front side of the first battery group 11 and the front side of the second battery group 12, and is continuous from the right end of the first battery group 11 to the left end of the second battery group 12. A current collecting conductive surface 111a (shown in FIG. 13) is formed on the back surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right-side connecting plate 111, which electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the first battery group 11 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the second battery group 12.

[0070] The left connecting plate 112 is disposed on the front side of the third battery group 13 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the third battery group 13. A current collecting conductive surface 112a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the third battery group 13 is formed on the back surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left connecting plate 112.

[0071] The flow path forming member 113 is a member for forming a flow path R3 for the heat carrier fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right connecting plate 111 and the left connecting plate 112, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. The flow path forming member 113 holds the right connecting plate 111 and the left connecting plate 112 with a gap between them in the planar direction (left-right direction) perpendicular to the thickness direction.

[0072] The flow path forming member 113 is disposed at a distance from the right connecting plate 111 and the left connecting plate 112 in the thickness direction, and has a plate portion 113a extending along the surface direction of the right connecting plate 111 and the left connecting plate 112, and outer protrusions 113b protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 113a toward the connecting plates 111 and 112. As shown in Fig. 10, the flow path forming member 113 is formed with an inlet hole 113d that allows the heat carrier fluid to flow into flow path R3, and an outlet hole 113e that allows the heat carrier fluid in flow path R3 to flow out. The inlet hole 113d and the outlet hole 113e are formed as through holes that penetrate the outer protrusions 113b in the inward and outward directions.

[0073] 8, the first intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 120 includes a right front side connection plate 121, a left front side connection plate 122, a right rear side connection plate 123, a left rear side connection plate 124, and a flow path forming member 125. The right front side connection plate 121 is disposed on the rear side of the first battery group 11 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the first battery group 11. A current collecting conductive surface 121a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the first battery group 11 is formed on the front surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right front side connection plate 121.

[0074] The left front connection plate 122 is disposed on the rear side of the second battery group 12 and the rear side of the third battery group 13, and is continuous from the right end of the second battery group 12 to the left end of the third battery group 13. A current collecting conductive surface 122a is formed on the front side (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left front connection plate 122, which electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the second battery group 12 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the third battery group 13.

[0075] The right rear connection plate 123 is disposed on the front side of the fourth battery group 14 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the fourth battery group 14. A current collecting conductive surface 123a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the fourth battery group 14 is formed on the rear surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right rear connection plate 123.

[0076] The left rear connection plate 124 is disposed on the front side of the fifth battery group 15 and the front side of the sixth battery group 16, and is continuous from the right end of the fifth battery group 15 to the left end of the sixth battery group 16. A current collecting conductive surface 124a is formed on the rear surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left rear connection plate 124, which electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the fifth battery group 15 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the sixth battery group 16.

[0077] 14, the flow path forming member 125 is a member for forming a flow path R4 for the heat carrier fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right front-side connecting plate 121 and the left front-side connecting plate 122, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. The flow path forming member 125 also forms a flow path R5 for the heat carrier fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right rear-side connecting plate 123 and the left rear-side connecting plate 124. The flow path forming member 125 holds the right front-side connecting plate 121 and the left front-side connecting plate 122 at a distance from each other in a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and also holds the right rear-side connecting plate 123 and the left rear-side connecting plate 124 at a distance from each other in the planar direction. Furthermore, the flow path forming member 125 holds the right front side connecting plate (first connecting plate) 121 and the right rear side connecting plate (second connecting plate) 123 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction, and also holds the left front side connecting plate 122 and the left rear side connecting plate 124 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction.

[0078] The flow path forming member 125 has a plate portion 125a, outer protrusions 125b protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 125a toward the connecting plates 121 and 122, and outer protrusions 125c protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 125a toward the connecting plates 123 and 124. As shown in Fig. 10, the flow path forming member 125 is formed with inlet holes 125d that allow the heat carrier fluid to flow into the flow paths R4 and R5, and outlet holes 125e that allow the heat carrier fluid in the flow paths R4 and R5 to flow out. The inlet holes 125d and the outlet holes 125e are formed as through holes that penetrate the outer protrusions 125b and 125c in the inward and outward directions.

[0079] 8, the intermediate second temperature adjustment heat exchanger 130 includes a right front connection plate 131, a left front connection plate 132, a right rear connection plate 133, a left rear connection plate 134, and a flow path forming member 135. The right front connection plate 131 is disposed on the rear side of the fourth battery group 14 and the fifth battery group 15, and is continuous from the right end of the fourth battery group 14 to the left end of the fifth battery group 15. A current collecting conductive surface 131a is formed on the front surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right front connection plate 131, which electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the fourth battery group 14 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the fifth battery group 15.

[0080] The left front connection plate 132 is disposed on the rear side of the sixth battery group 16 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the sixth battery group 16. A current collecting conductive surface 132a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the sixth battery group 16 is formed on the front side (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left front connection plate 132.

[0081] The right rear connection plate 133 is disposed in front of the seventh battery group 17 and the eighth battery group 18, and extends continuously from the right end of the seventh battery group 17 to the left end of the eighth battery group 18. A current collecting conductive surface 133a is formed on the rear surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right rear connection plate 133, which electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the seventh battery group 17 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the eighth battery group 18.

[0082] The left rear connection plate 134 is disposed on the front side of the ninth battery group 19 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the ninth battery group 19. A current collecting conductive surface 134a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the ninth battery group 19 is formed on the rear surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left rear connection plate 134.

[0083] 15, the flow path forming member 135 is a member for forming a flow path R6 for the heat carrier fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right front-side connecting plate 131 and the left front-side connecting plate 132, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. The flow path forming member 135 also forms a flow path R7 for the heat carrier fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right rear-side connecting plate 133 and the left rear-side connecting plate 134. The flow path forming member 135 holds the right front-side connecting plate 131 and the left front-side connecting plate 132 at a distance from each other in a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and also holds the right rear-side connecting plate 133 and the left rear-side connecting plate 134 at a distance from each other in the planar direction. Furthermore, the flow path forming member 135 holds the right front side connecting plate (first connecting plate) 131 and the right rear side connecting plate (second connecting plate) 133 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction, and also holds the left front side connecting plate 132 and the left rear side connecting plate 134 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction.

[0084] The flow path forming member 135 has a plate portion 135a, outer protrusions 135b protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 135a toward the connecting plates 131 and 132, and outer protrusions 135c protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 135a toward the connecting plates 133 and 134. As shown in Fig. 10, the flow path forming member 135 is formed with inflow holes 135d that allow the heat carrier fluid to flow into the flow paths R6 and R7, and outflow holes 135e that allow the heat carrier fluid in the flow paths R6 and R7 to flow out. The inflow holes 135d and the outflow holes 135e are formed as through holes that penetrate the outer protrusions 135b and 135c in the inward and outward directions.

[0085] 8, the rear temperature adjustment heat exchanger 140 includes a right-side connecting plate 141, a left-side connecting plate 142, and a flow path forming member 143. The right-side connecting plate 141 is disposed on the rear side of the seventh battery group 17 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the seventh battery group 17. A current collecting conductive surface 141a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the seventh battery group 17 is formed on the front surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right-side connecting plate 141.

[0086] The left connection plate 142 is disposed on the rear side of the eighth battery group 18 and the ninth battery group 19, and is continuous from the right end of the eighth battery group 18 to the left end of the ninth battery group 19. A current collecting conductive surface 142a is formed on the front side (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left connection plate 142, which electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the eighth battery group 18 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the ninth battery group 19.

[0087] 16, the flow path forming member 143 is a member for forming a flow path R8 for the heat carrier fluid between the back surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right connecting plate 141 and the left connecting plate 142, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. The flow path forming member 143 holds the right connecting plate 141 and the left connecting plate 142 with a gap between them in a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction.

[0088] The flow path forming member 143 is disposed at a distance from the right connecting plate 141 and the left connecting plate 142 in the thickness direction, and has a plate portion 143a extending along the surface direction of the right connecting plate 141 and the left connecting plate 142, and outer protrusions 143b protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 143a toward the connecting plates 141 and 142. As shown in Fig. 10, the flow path forming member 143 is formed with an inlet hole 143d that allows the heat carrier fluid to flow into flow path R8, and an outlet hole 143e that allows the heat carrier fluid in flow path R8 to flow out. The inlet hole 143d and the outlet hole 143e are formed as through holes that penetrate the outer protrusions 143b in the inward and outward directions.

[0089] As shown in Fig. 8, in the second embodiment, a connector 150 is provided that electrically connects the right front connection plate 121 and the right rear connection plate 123, and a connector 151 is provided that electrically connects the left front connection plate 132 and the left rear connection plate 134. This allows for an electrical flow within the on-board battery module 1 as shown by the arrows in Fig. 8. The connectors 150 and 151 may be provided as needed. If the connectors 150 and 151 are not used, a conductive portion that allows electrical conduction between the conductive plates can be formed by bending the conductive plates.

[0090] The in-vehicle battery module 1 is provided with the front temperature adjustment heat exchanger 110, the first intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 120, the second intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 130, and the rear temperature adjustment heat exchanger 140 according to this second embodiment, thereby enabling cooling or heating of the cylindrical batteries C of the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19, and controlling the temperatures of the cylindrical batteries C. Also in the second embodiment, the front temperature adjustment heat exchanger 110, the first intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 120, the second intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 130, and the rear temperature adjustment heat exchanger 140 can be fastened together using fastening members.

[0091] (Embodiment 3) 17 to 24 show an in-vehicle battery module 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this third embodiment, as in the second embodiment, cylindrical batteries C are arranged so that their axes extend in the depth direction of the in-vehicle battery module 1, and first to third battery groups 11 to 13, fourth to sixth battery groups 14 to 16, and seventh to ninth battery groups 17 to 19 are arranged side by side in the depth direction of the in-vehicle battery module 1. Below, the same parts as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted, and only parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described in detail.

[0092] The automotive battery module 1 of the third embodiment includes a front-side temperature control heat exchanger 210, a first intermediate temperature control heat exchanger 220, a second intermediate temperature control heat exchanger 230, and a rear-side temperature control heat exchanger 240. The basic structures of the front-side temperature control heat exchanger 210, the first intermediate temperature control heat exchanger 220, the second intermediate temperature control heat exchanger 230, and the rear-side temperature control heat exchanger 240 are almost the same as the temperature control heat exchangers 20 and 30 of the first embodiment.

[0093] The front-side temperature adjustment heat exchanger 210 includes a right-side connecting plate 211, a left-side connecting plate 212, and a flow path forming member 213. The right-side connecting plate 211 is disposed on the front side of the first battery group 11 and the front side of the second battery group 12, and is continuous from the right end of the first battery group 11 to the left end of the second battery group 12. A current collecting conductive surface 211a is formed on the back surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right-side connecting plate 211, which electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the first battery group 11 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the second battery group 12.

[0094] The left connection plate 212 is disposed on the front side of the third battery group 13 and extends continuously from the right end to the left end of the third battery group 13. A current collecting conductive surface 212a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the third battery group 13 is formed on the back surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left connection plate 212.

[0095] 22, the flow path forming member 213 is a member for forming a flow path R9 for the heat transfer fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right connecting plate 211 and the left connecting plate 212, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. The flow path forming member 213 holds the right connecting plate 211 and the left connecting plate 212 with a gap between them in the planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction.

[0096] The flow path forming member 213 is disposed at a distance from the right connecting plate 211 and the left connecting plate 212 in the thickness direction, and has a plate portion 213a extending along the surface direction of the right connecting plate 211 and the left connecting plate 212, and outer protrusions 213b protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 213a toward the connecting plates 211 and 212. As shown in Fig. 19, the flow path forming member 213 is formed with an inlet hole 213d that allows the heat carrier fluid to flow into flow path R9, and an outlet hole 213e that allows the heat carrier fluid in flow path R9 to flow out. The inlet hole 213d and the outlet hole 213e are formed as through holes that penetrate the outer protrusions 213b in the inward and outward directions.

[0097] 17, the intermediate first temperature adjustment heat exchanger 220 includes a right front side connecting plate 221, a central front side connecting plate 222, a left front side connecting plate 223, a right rear side connecting plate 224, a central rear side connecting plate 225, a left rear side connecting plate 226, and a flow path forming member 227. The right front side connecting plate 221 is disposed on the rear side of the first battery group 11 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the first battery group 11. A current collecting conductive surface 221a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the first battery group 11 is formed on the front surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right front side connecting plate 221.

[0098] The central front connection plate 222 is disposed on the rear side of the second battery group 12 and extends continuously from the right end to the left end of the second battery group 12. A current collecting conductive surface 222a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the second battery group 12 is formed on the front surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the central front connection plate 222.

[0099] The left front connection plate 223 is disposed on the rear side of the third battery group 13 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the third battery group 13. A current collecting conductive surface 223a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the third battery group 13 is formed on the front side (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left front connection plate 223.

[0100] The right rear connection plate 224 is disposed on the front side of the fourth battery group 14 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the fourth battery group 14. A current collecting conductive surface 224a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the fourth battery group 14 is formed on the rear surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right rear connection plate 224.

[0101] The central rear-side connection plate 225 is disposed on the front side of the fifth battery group 15 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the fifth battery group 15. A current collecting conductive surface 225a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the fifth battery group 15 is formed on the back surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the central rear-side connection plate 225.

[0102] The left rear connection plate 226 is disposed on the front side of the sixth battery group 16 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the sixth battery group 16. A current collecting conductive surface 226a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the sixth battery group 16 is formed on the rear surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left rear connection plate 226.

[0103] 23 , the flow path forming member 227 is a member for forming a flow path R10 for the heat carrier fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right front-side connecting plate 221, the central front-side connecting plate 222, and the left front-side connecting plate 223, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. The flow path forming member 227 also forms a flow path R11 for the heat carrier fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right rear-side connecting plate 224, the central rear-side connecting plate 225, and the left rear-side connecting plate 226. The flow path forming member 227 holds the right front-side connecting plate 221, the central front-side connecting plate 222, and the left front-side connecting plate 223 at intervals in a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and also holds the right rear-side connecting plate 224, the central rear-side connecting plate 225, and the left rear-side connecting plate 226 at intervals in the planar direction. Furthermore, the flow path forming member 227 holds the right front side connecting plate 221 and the right rear side connecting plate 224 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction, holds the central front side connecting plate 222 and the central rear side connecting plate 225 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction, and further holds the left front side connecting plate 223 and the left rear side connecting plate 226 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction.

[0104] The flow path forming member 227 has a plate portion 227a, outer protrusions 227b protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 227a toward the connecting plates 221, 222, and 223, and outer protrusions 227c protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 227a toward the connecting plates 224, 225, and 226. As shown in Fig. 19, the flow path forming member 227 is formed with inlet holes 227d that allow the heat carrier fluid to flow into the flow paths R10 and R11, and outlet holes 227e that allow the heat carrier fluid in the flow paths R10 and R11 to flow out. The inlet holes 227d and the outlet holes 227e are formed as through holes that penetrate the outer protrusions 227b and 227c in the inward and outward directions.

[0105] 17, the second intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 230 is configured similarly to the first intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 220. That is, the second intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 230 includes a right front side connection plate 231, a central front side connection plate 232, a left front side connection plate 233, a right rear side connection plate 234, a central rear side connection plate 235, a left rear side connection plate 236, and a flow path forming member 237. The right front side connection plate 231 is disposed on the rear side of the fourth battery group 14 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the fourth battery group 14. A current collecting conductive surface 231a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the fourth battery group 14 is formed on the front surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right front side connection plate 231.

[0106] The central front connection plate 232 is disposed on the rear side of the fifth battery group 15 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the fifth battery group 15. A current collecting conductive surface 232a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the fifth battery group 15 is formed on the front surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the central front connection plate 232.

[0107] The left front connection plate 233 is disposed on the rear side of the sixth battery group 16 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the sixth battery group 16. A current collecting conductive surface 233a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the sixth battery group 16 is formed on the front side (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left front connection plate 233.

[0108] The right rear connection plate 234 is disposed on the front side of the seventh battery group 17 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the seventh battery group 17. A current collecting conductive surface 234a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the seventh battery group 17 is formed on the rear surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right rear connection plate 234.

[0109] The central rear connection plate 235 is disposed on the front side of the eighth battery group 18 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the eighth battery group 18. A current collecting conductive surface 235a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the eighth battery group 18 is formed on the back surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the central rear connection plate 235.

[0110] The left rear connection plate 236 is disposed on the front side of the ninth battery group 19 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the ninth battery group 19. A current collecting conductive surface 236a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the ninth battery group 19 is formed on the rear surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left rear connection plate 236.

[0111] The flow path forming member 237 is a member for forming a flow path R12 (shown in FIG. 20 ) for the heat carrier fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right front-side connecting plate 231, the central front-side connecting plate 232, and the left front-side connecting plate 233, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. The flow path forming member 237 also forms a flow path R13 for the heat carrier fluid between the front surfaces (the other surfaces in the thickness direction) of the right rear-side connecting plate 234, the central rear-side connecting plate 235, and the left rear-side connecting plate 236. The flow path forming member 237 holds the right front-side connecting plate 231, the central front-side connecting plate 232, and the left front-side connecting plate 233 at intervals in a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and also holds the right rear-side connecting plate 234, the central rear-side connecting plate 235, and the left rear-side connecting plate 236 at intervals in the planar direction. Furthermore, the flow path forming member 237 holds the right front side connecting plate 231 and the right rear side connecting plate 234 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction, holds the central front side connecting plate 232 and the central rear side connecting plate 235 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction, and further holds the left front side connecting plate 233 and the left rear side connecting plate 236 at a distance from each other in the thickness direction.

[0112] As shown in Figure 19, the flow path forming member 237 is configured in the same manner as the flow path forming member 227 of the intermediate first temperature adjustment heat exchanger 220, and is formed with an inlet hole 237d that allows the heat carrier fluid to flow into the flow paths R12 and R13, and an outlet hole 237e that allows the heat carrier fluid in the flow paths R12 and R13 to flow out.

[0113] 17, the rear temperature adjustment heat exchanger 240 includes a right-side connecting plate 241, a left-side connecting plate 242, and a flow path forming member 243. The right-side connecting plate 241 is disposed on the rear side of the seventh battery group 17 and is continuous from the right end to the left end of the seventh battery group 17. A current collecting conductive surface 241a that electrically connects the multiple cylindrical batteries C included in the seventh battery group 17 is formed on the front surface (one surface in the thickness direction) of the right-side connecting plate 241.

[0114] The left connection plate 242 is disposed on the rear side of the eighth battery group 18 and the ninth battery group 19, and is continuous from the right end of the eighth battery group 18 to the left end of the ninth battery group 19. A current collecting conductive surface 242a is formed on the front side (one surface in the thickness direction) of the left connection plate 242, which electrically connects the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the eighth battery group 18 and the plurality of cylindrical batteries C included in the ninth battery group 19.

[0115] 24, the flow path forming member 243 is a member for forming a flow path R14 for the heat carrier fluid between the back surface (the other surface in the thickness direction) of the right connecting plate 241 and the left connecting plate 242, and is made of an insulating material that does not conduct electricity. The flow path forming member 243 holds the right connecting plate 241 and the left connecting plate 242 with a gap between them in the planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction.

[0116] The flow path forming member 243 is disposed at a distance from the right connecting plate 241 and the left connecting plate 242 in the thickness direction, and has a plate portion 243a extending along the surface direction of the right connecting plate 241 and the left connecting plate 242, and outer protrusions 243b protruding from the periphery of the plate portion 243a toward the connecting plates 241 and 242. As shown in Fig. 19, the flow path forming member 243 is formed with an inlet hole 243d that allows the heat carrier fluid to flow into the flow path R14, and an outlet hole 243e that allows the heat carrier fluid in the flow path R14 to flow out. The inlet hole 243d and the outlet hole 243e are formed as through holes that penetrate the outer protrusions 243b in the inward and outward directions.

[0117] As shown in Fig. 17 , in the third embodiment, a connector 161 is provided to connect the right front connection plate 221 and the right rear connection plate 224, a connector 162 is provided to connect the central front connection plate 222 and the central rear connection plate 225, and a connector 163 is provided to connect the left front connection plate 223 and the left rear connection plate 226. Furthermore, a connector 171 is provided to connect the right front connection plate 231 and the right rear connection plate 234, a connector 172 is provided to connect the central front connection plate 232 and the central rear connection plate 235, and a connector 173 is provided to connect the left front connection plate 233 and the left rear connection plate 236. This allows electrical flow within the on-board battery module 1 as shown by the arrows in Fig. 17 . Note that the connector 161 may be omitted and a separate conductive structure may be provided.

[0118] The in-vehicle battery module 1 is provided with the front temperature adjustment heat exchanger 210, the first intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 220, the second intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 230, and the rear temperature adjustment heat exchanger 240 according to this third embodiment, thereby enabling cooling or heating of the cylindrical batteries C of the first to ninth battery groups 11 to 19, and controlling the temperatures of the cylindrical batteries C. Also in the third embodiment, the front temperature adjustment heat exchanger 210, the first intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 220, the second intermediate temperature adjustment heat exchanger 230, and the rear temperature adjustment heat exchanger 240 can be fastened together with fastening members.

[0119] The above-described embodiment is merely illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the number of cylindrical batteries C can be set to any number. The number of battery groups can also be set to any number. Furthermore, the vehicle battery module 1 may be constructed by stacking battery groups vertically. [Industrial Applicability]

[0120] As described above, the on-vehicle battery module according to the present disclosure can be used in, for example, hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 1. Automotive battery module 11 1st battery group 12 2nd battery group 20 Upper temperature control heat exchanger 21 Upper first connecting plate 21a Conductive surface for first current collection 22 Upper second connecting plate 22a Second current collecting conductive surface 27 Upper flow path forming member 27a Upper plate part 27b Outer protrusion 27c Inner protrusion 27d Inflow hole 27e Outflow hole C Cylindrical battery R1 flow path

Claims

1. a connection plate made of a conductive material, the connection plate having a current collecting conductive surface formed on one surface in the thickness direction to electrically connect the plurality of cylindrical batteries; a flow path forming member that forms a flow path for a heat transfer fluid between the other surface of the connection plate in the thickness direction and the flow path forming member;

2. The heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery according to claim 1, the connection plates include first connection plates connected to the cylindrical batteries included in a first battery group consisting of a plurality of the cylindrical batteries, and second connection plates connected to the cylindrical batteries included in a second battery group consisting of a plurality of the cylindrical batteries, The flow path forming member is made of an insulating material that holds the first connection plate and the second connection plate spaced apart from each other in a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and is a heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery.

3. The heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery according to claim 1, the connection plates include first connection plates connected to the cylindrical batteries included in a first battery group consisting of a plurality of the cylindrical batteries, and second connection plates connected to the cylindrical batteries included in a second battery group consisting of a plurality of the cylindrical batteries, A heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery, wherein the flow path forming member is composed of an insulating material that holds the first connection plate and the second connection plate spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction.

4. The heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery according to claim 1, A heat exchanger for controlling the temperature of a cylindrical battery, wherein an inner surface of the flow path in the connection plate is subjected to anti-rust treatment.

5. The heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery according to claim 2 or 3, a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of a cylindrical battery, wherein the flow path forming member is fastened to the first battery group and the second battery group;

6. The heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery according to claim 1, The flow path forming member is provided with an inlet hole for allowing a heat carrier fluid to flow into the flow path and an outlet hole for allowing the heat carrier fluid in the flow path to flow out, in a heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery.

7. The heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery according to claim 1, the flow path forming member is disposed apart in the thickness direction from the other surface of the connection plate in the thickness direction, and has a plate portion extending along the surface direction of the connection plate, and an annular outer protrusion portion protruding from a peripheral edge portion of the plate portion toward the connection plate and extending in the circumferential direction of the plate portion, The connecting plate is held by the tip of the outer protrusion in the protruding direction.

8. The heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery according to claim 7, A heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery, wherein an inner protrusion portion is formed in the portion of the plate portion surrounded by the outer protrusion portion, protruding toward the connection plate and extending in the surface direction.

9. The heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery according to claim 8, The connecting plate is held by the tip of the inner protrusion in the protruding direction.

10. The heat exchanger for temperature control of a cylindrical battery according to claim 1, A heat exchanger for regulating the temperature of a cylindrical battery, further comprising a battery holder having a holding hole into which one axial end of the cylindrical battery is inserted and held, and an exhaust portion for exhausting gas discharged from the one end in the event of an abnormality in the cylindrical battery.

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